Prime Minister John Key has welcomed an invitation to meet the President of the United States during his upcoming visit to the US.

The White House has announced President Obama will meet the Prime Minister in Washington DC on Friday, 20 June.

“The invitation underlines the very close relationship between the United States and New Zealand,” Mr Key says.

“I look forward to meeting with President Obama. We are likely to discuss the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations, to take stock of our bilateral relationship, and to exchange views on current regional and international issues,” he says.

The Prime Minister is travelling to the United States from June 16 to 20.

While in Washington DC, the Prime Minister will also meet with a range of senior administration figures, Congressional representatives and business leaders.

The Prime Minister will also undertake a full programme in New York in support of New Zealand’s bid to win a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2015-16.

This is no surprise, yet still welcome.

A diplomat commented to me a couple of months ago how extraordinary it is that the New Zealand Prime Minister is the national leader that has probably spent the most time in the last 12 months with both the President of the United States, but also the President of China.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 20th, 2014 at 8:22 am and is filed under NZ Politics, United States.
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The TPP appears to be stalled due to all the sectional Senate interests and as far as the rest of the relationship is concerned I can’t see much for either party coming out of it. Aside from Five Eyes what does the US get from us? And what can we realistically contribute to regional issues that Australia can’t do better? NZ as an unthreatening middle-man perhaps?

I suppose it’s always good to keep the relationship going but considering that Obama has been a lame duck for the last two years, and likely to become more so, I can’t see anything productive happening here. From Obama’s perspective it’s probably just a relief to talk with someone who is not demanding anything or expecting anything of him.

Let me guess… TeeVeeOne and TV3 will run a lead story tonight that the PM is off to the USA ‘just before the election’ and there will be a breathless ‘interview’ with the current Labour leader where he bitches and moans that this trip is ‘only a photo opportunity’….

Hello? What is going on here in an election year? Wait for the mentally deranged Labour-Green leaders to raise objections to Mr Key’s invite to White House.

David Cunliffe – “In an election year, there should be equal coverage. I need an invitation to visit the White House too…”
Communist Norman – “Gimme a trip, gimme a trip”
Winston First – “More to come. Key gone by lunch time”
Horny Hone – “Why there is no invitation for a Maori leader?”
DotCon – “Thank God, I am not invited to USA”

Who says the New Zealander killed was a terrorist? He was charged with no crime and convicted in no court before being arbitrarily assassinated by a drone strike conducted by a foreign (and supposedly friendly) power. Tell me ShawnLH do you not support the rule of law? Are you in favour of the United States killing any New Zealander it likes overseas without a peep out of our Quisling prime minister?

good riddance to the weakling New Zealander who joined Islam terror in Somalia, ,good riddance, there is plenty of evidence about this man, a good example of drones doing work against madmen, his parents and relatives hide in shame,

How insulting – I would like to think that New Zealander’s take their voting far more seriously than to place their tick according to who had morning tea with Obama or Prince Willy. As any intelligent person would know, or at least should know, those things are part of the job and it wouldn’t matter if Josephine Bloggs was our PM, the invitations would still be forthcoming under the current global conditions.

It’s hardly like Key got on the phone and said “hey listen Obama me ol’ mate, cud you do us a favour and invite me for a cuppa, I’m needing a few votes – oh yeah, hows the ol’ sheila doing?”

Anyone that votes or doesn’t vote on the issue of a visit – really doesn’t deserve to have a vote.

Rick Rowling (785 comments) says: May 20th, 2014 at 9:28 am
” quote But there’s a long-standing convention that the Prime Minister doesn’t meet with US Presidents within 6 months of an election.” unquote

Hey Rick wake up its Tuesday morning its May 2014 Rick, Rick? are you there Rick ?

whipdeedo
Obamas very much disliked in the US, its obvious why as hes just a blowhard politican who likes the sound of his own voice.
Key likes associating with such cheesy people, after meeting cheesy Key im glad i dont have to be there for drinks and biscuits.
Just a beltway issue, means nothing for NZers struggling here under rising interest rates

Who says the New Zealander killed was a terrorist? He was charged with no crime and convicted in no court before being arbitrarily assassinated by a drone strike conducted by a foreign (and supposedly friendly) power.

For him to be assassinated, the US would have to be launching a drone strike with the knowledge that he specifically was there. Since by all accounts, he was a mere footsoldier, his death was no assassination (A better word to choose than execution which was all too carelessly bandied about when news of his death broke).

It is not necessary for a person to be charged and convicted in court to be reasonably killed as a terrorist threat. For example Osama Bin Laden never had a trial before Seal Team Six put a bullet in his brain. In the case of the NZer, he was in a remote location in close proximity with several Al-Qaida fighters and he and others in the area could not be apprehended without the risk of significant loss of life by the Yemenese (or US authorities). Under such circumstances, drone strikes are reasonable and the NZer really only has himself to blame for the dangerous place he put himself in.

What’s not commonly reported and was news to me until the New York Times reported it earlier this year, in that in the case of signature strikes, steps are taken to reduce civilian causalties. For example when a target has been identified, drones are sent to buzz access roads to scare other people from approaching the place while the strike occurs.

“…YES! you are correct…he was there for a cup of tea and a bit of a lie down…….”

Look, let’s be real. He was in Yemen to fight for Islamic guerillas against the government forces. There is no evidence that he was a “terrorist” in the sense he was prepared to blow up an airliner or something. All we know is he was fighting in a foreign conflict as an Islamic fighter and was killed by an extra-judicial drone strike by the United States.

Now, it seems to me that the NZ government owes a duty of care to it’s citizens to publicly protest (no matter how insincerely) at the random killing of it’s citizens and at least publicly demand an explanation and some sort of evidence. Key’s obsequious lap-dog response of behaving like nothing more than a colonial governor of a far flung corner of the American empire falls woefully short of that and is an insult to our sovereignty.

thePeoplesFlag (130 comments) says:
May 20th, 2014 at 10:03 am
“…YES! you are correct…he was there for a cup of tea and a bit of a lie down…….”

Look, let’s be real. He was in Yemen to fight for Islamic guerillas against the government forces. There is no evidence that he was a “terrorist” in the sense he was prepared to blow up an airliner or something. All we know is he was fighting in a foreign conflict as an Islamic fighter and was killed by an extra-judicial drone strike by the United States.

He shoulda taken Wussels fwag and waved that about…..drones would have dodged him…….

I’m in two minds about the drone strikes. On the one hand they can be seen as conventional military strikes by the US in a war such as in Yemen and Afghanistan where it is fighting with allies against insurgency. On the other hand, targeted strikes against particular individuals, who may or may not be planning acts of terrorism against the United States, smack of extra-judicial killing.

All we know is he was fighting in a foreign conflict as an Islamic fighter and was killed by an extra-judicial drone strike by the United States.

In which case he is hardly an innocent person, is he?

Now, it seems to me that the NZ government owes a duty of care to it’s citizens to publicly protest (no matter how insincerely) at the random killing of it’s citizens and at least publicly demand an explanation and some sort of evidence.

The killing of an Islamic insurgent fighting against a legitimate government of the land is hardly a random killing but a justifiable one. And I have to marvel at your acceptance that the government should behave insincerely in following your ideal course of action.

For example Osama Bin Laden never had a trial before Seal Team Six put a bullet in his brain.

You’re wasting your time making that argument, thePeoplesFlag probably thinks that was “extra-judicial” also – and a war crime. There was an interesting debate about this whole issue of “extra-judicial” killings by the USA starting here, but it looks like thePeoplesFlag missed it.

Changing the law on weed is a lot more complicated than simply passing legislation. We are required to ban pot (amongst other drugs) under a signed convention. Passing a law legalizing pot means that we are out of the convention and lose access to international co-operation against other drugs. We can re-sign the treaty with the reservation that we do not consider pot to be a drug requiring prohibition but we can only be readmitted if three quarters of the signatories do not object. Bolivia recently pulled this stunt with the legalization of coca leaf but taking the plunge and crossing one’s fingers is never a wise step.

A few months ago a person purporting to be an expert on military/political affairs (IIRC) suggested NZ must make a choice between a strategic alliance with the U.S.A or China, as our current trade with China but political alignment with the U.S.A was untenable to them – at some point they believe our economics and politics must align.

Some people fear our economic relationship with China will skew our politics (and you saw some proclaiming Collins apparent corruption as signs of this). While in the debate of the TPP some see reason to fear our political relationship with the U.S.A will tear at our economics.

I hope the fear we must choose is mistaken, even though history holds many examples of nations being spit on a sword they tried to balance on there are other examples of successfully standing at intersections and mediating.

I think NZ, especially whoever is our PM, should actively try and maintain this bridge Key has built. It is a good thing. And if we imagine a near future where Key is not PM I would think it likely wise to make him some sort of plenipotentiary to accompany NZ diplomatic missions to help keep this bridge in good repair.

Least we find it crumbles and we do find ourselves having to choose between jumping from one side or the other.